Burning a Garden
by ViciousHerring
Summary: Immediate follow-up to The Decision. I wondered why our clan of space pirates might never return to the Serpent's Garden. I do not own any Marvel characters. Rated T for coarse language and suggestive themes. Critique is always welcome. Followed by Questionable Guidance.
1. Chapter 1

"Madam S-sol'ya!"

Miss Pris flies into Sol'ya's chambers only to be shushed by both the Madam and the blue-skinned Ravager Captain, Yondu Udonta. The pair return their attention to the sleeping child nested in Sol'ya's over-sized bed. The receptionist hesitates for only a moment and darts silently to her Madam's side, she whispers urgently to her boss.

"You're joking," Sol'ya says sharply, to which Pris shakes her head 'No.' The Madam lets out an irritated hiss, "Yondu, s-stay here. Guests-s remain in their rooms-s. Turn on the red light."


	2. Chapter 2

"Captain Ogord," Sol'ya sneers, greeting the legendary Ravager Captain, "To what do I owe the dis-spleasure?"

"Madam Sol'ya," Star-Hawk says carefully, "I noticed M-ships at your dock, as well as the Eclector in static orbit…"

The snake-woman looks bored. "What's-s it to you, S-stakar?"

"You know what I said about doing business with Yondu," the Ravager's deep voice rumbles menacingly as he stalks toward the brothel keeper. "You'd really take that risk?"

"What ris-sk?" Sol'ya replies coyly, "You're the one that's-s not welcome here, you Arcturan asshole. None of your kind are." She waves to a hand-painted sign on the reception desk, which reads 'Arcturans Not Welcome.' in pretty, alien script. "Your decrees-s mean nothing to me."

Stakar shakes with barely-contained rage. "Hybrid whore," he mutters.

"I am what you made me," she spits and glares at the Captain, "Your own people are the reason you created that code, S-stakar."

"That was a hundred years ago!" Ogord shouts.

"And I was that child!" Sol'ya yells in return.

Half a dozen or more naga-like beings slither into the foyer, taking combat-ready positions behind the Madam and Miss Pris. They're sleek, and beautiful, and angry. Each carries one of the powerful accelerator rifles Yondu delivered the day before.

"We were thos-se children," she hisses.

The Arcturan doesn't relent, "You never would've had Ravager business if I hadn't sent Yondu to you in the first place," Stakar says heatedly as he changes tactics, "He's broken the Code! We've exiled him!"

"He's s-still a better man than you!"

"Your loyalty to Udonta won't go unpunished, Madam," the blue-clad Captain snarls. His men shift uneasily, clearly ready for violence.

"Darlings-s!" the Madam cries, and the air fills with various click-clacks and rushes of charging weapons.

Whores of all kinds fill the landings, each staring down the sights of some vicious machinery at the pirates. Stakar sneers as he surveys this development.

"Nothing you can do to me now can possibly compare to what you've already done," Sol'ya says with finality, "Get out."

Star-Hawk snorts, but he concedes. "Move out," he mutters over his shoulder, and his men do as he commands. Ogord turns and steps away, he pauses, though, at the old-fashioned swinging door of the Serpent's Garden. "You'll regret this decision, Sol'ya."

The snake-woman makes a face as though actually considering his words, then she shrugs and shakes her head. "No, I won't," she replies flatly.

And then he's gone, Stakar Ogord has left the building.

"Pff! Prick!" Sol'ya scoffs crosses her arms, still defiant, even in the absence of her enemy. "Fuck," she swears, knowing the swift and terrible consequences that are now gathering against her, she turns to her assembled harem.

The Madam's rose-colored, reptilian eyes scan over the faces of each one of her Darlings. It's clear from her expression that this is the end of their beloved brothel as they know it.

"Pack it in," Sol'ya says to the room, "We don't have much time. I'll be getting a ship, whoever wants-s to come with me."


	3. Chapter 3

Sol'ya rushes to her rooms, stopping short just inside the door. She's witnessing something she never thought she'd see in all her long years; Yondu Udonta, thief, murderer, pirate, carefully threading the sleeping Terran's skinny arm into a too-large, Ravager-red jacket. It makes it all worth it.

The Captain glances over his shoulder at her as he pulls the coat snuggly around his unconscious child. "What the hell did you just do?"

"Ah, well," the Madam hesitates, Stakar is a sticky bit of history for both of them, "I may have told the S-star-Hawk to shove it…" Sol'ya smiles, "And I'm going to need one of your s-ships."

Udonta chuckles, "You didn' jus' tell me that you told Stakar to shove it." He laughs again at the absurdity of the statement.

"Oh, but I did," the snake-woman sighs, "And I pointed many, many weapons at him, too. Many guns-s."

"Are you insane? Sol'ya, that man saved my life!"

"He ruined mine!" the Madam counters, too loudly though, for now she's the hushed by Yondu, "And he exiled you! That s-stubborn ass won't lis-sten to you 'til you're dead!"

Yondu faces his long-time business partner and friend, "Stakar'll be afta you fer a long time," he says solemnly and takes the snake-woman's hand. "He may kill you."

"That's-s why I've always had a s-sideline in gun running. He won't kill me," Sol'ya replies quietly, "but he will burn down my brothel before you get to. I do need one of your s-ships-s, Yondu."

The Ravager frowns tightly, he nods. There's a lot left unsaid between them. "The Kerosel, dock two. She'll be ready when you are."


	4. Chapter 4

"No! You take 'im!"

"What?! Dammit! I don' wanna carry the kid! You take 'im!"

"Nope. You already took 'im from me. I ain' takin' 'im back!"

"R'you idiots playin' 'Hot Tuber' with the Terran?" the Captain yells over his shoulder from the pilot's seat of his M-ship.

The Ravagers look guiltily back and forth between them. "No…" they chorus.

Wretch tries to pass the unconscious Quill to Half-nut, but he pushes the child away. Wretch tries again, and again, Half-nut refuses.

"Sit down!" Kraglin hollers at his crewmen as he stomps toward the cockpit. "I'll take 'im," the First Mate grumbles and lifts Peter into his arms.

Obfonteri drops heavily into the co-pilot's chair with the boy asleep on his shoulder. Kraglin stares at his Captain over the soft mop of Peter's brown hair with an 'I'm not too happy about this' look on his face. Just as the Xandarian is about to question his boss' decision, Peter sighs sweetly in his sleep and snuggles into Kraglin's neck.

The pirate rolls his eyes and wraps his coat around the child. "At least we know tha kid c'n sleep through anything."

"Nah," Yondu replies, "I dosed 'im with a sedative when Sol'ya flipped that red light. Never know how vile it's gonna get when she does that."

"S'true," Kraglin nods and takes another look at the boy, "Makes sense. Tullk's not happy 'bout his Kerosel bein' given away… He cried."

Udonta's lip pulls in his typical sneer, "He'll be fine. I already commissioned a wing o' ships, an' one jus' for him." Yondu looks over to his man, "Le's keep it a surprise, though. Make 'im sweat."

The First Mate chuckles and nods as he flips some switches in preparation of docking within the Eclector.


	5. Chapter 5

"Are they clear?" Ogord's deep voice rumbles as he picks at a hangnail with his teeth.

"Yes, Sir," the crystalline second of Stakar Clan says.

Star-Hawk huffs, "Level it."

Martinex watches his Captain turn and walk from the bridge, "Fire."


End file.
